Using Concepts Maps in a Foundation Mathematics Course: What Have we Learnt?

Sali Hammad; Christos Dimitriadis; Ted Graham

doi:10.29333/ejmste/9700

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Sali Hammad ¹ ^* , Christos Dimitriadis ², Ted Graham ³

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¹ Gulf University for Science and Technology, KUWAIT² Kingston University, UK³ Independent Researcher, UK^* Corresponding Author

Abstract

This paper reports on the findings from the use of concept maps in a mathematics foundation course at a university in Kuwait. The study sample consisted of 130 freshmen students from a mathematics foundation course. Through a case-study design, concept maps and assessment tests were utilized to assess and monitor students’ mathematical understanding and achievement at various points of the course. The findings of the study showed that concept maps can be effective as a tool to assess, monitor, and improve students’ mathematical understanding, particularly their conceptual understanding when they are used systematically and when their use is followed-up by discussions that encourage students to reflect and talk about their maps and the links they have made. The improved understanding was found to contribute to the enhancement of mathematical achievement. The paper reports details on the use of concept maps in mathematics lessons and makes recommendations for practice and future research.

Keywords

mathematical understanding
concept maps
procedural understanding
conceptual understanding

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This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

Article Type: Research Article

EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed, Volume 17, Issue 2, February 2021, Article No: em1943

https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9700

Publication date: 13 Feb 2021

Article Views: 2839

Article Downloads: 3303

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Declaration of Conflict of Interest: No conflict of interest is declared by author(s).

Data sharing statement: Data supporting the findings and conclusions are available upon request from the corresponding author(s).

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How to cite this article

APA

Hammad, S., Dimitriadis, C., & Graham, T. (2021). Using Concepts Maps in a Foundation Mathematics Course: What Have we Learnt?. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(2), em1943. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9700

Vancouver

Hammad S, Dimitriadis C, Graham T. Using Concepts Maps in a Foundation Mathematics Course: What Have we Learnt?. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2021;17(2):em1943. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9700

AMA

Hammad S, Dimitriadis C, Graham T. Using Concepts Maps in a Foundation Mathematics Course: What Have we Learnt?. EURASIA J Math Sci Tech Ed. 2021;17(2), em1943. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9700

Chicago

Hammad, Sali, Christos Dimitriadis, and Ted Graham. "Using Concepts Maps in a Foundation Mathematics Course: What Have we Learnt?". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education 2021 17 no. 2 (2021): em1943. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9700

Harvard

Hammad, S., Dimitriadis, C., and Graham, T. (2021). Using Concepts Maps in a Foundation Mathematics Course: What Have we Learnt?. Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, 17(2), em1943. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9700

MLA

Hammad, Sali et al. "Using Concepts Maps in a Foundation Mathematics Course: What Have we Learnt?". Eurasia Journal of Mathematics, Science and Technology Education, vol. 17, no. 2, 2021, em1943. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejmste/9700